So far this fall, 13 million people in South Korea have been vaccinated against seasonal influenza. South Korean officials are trying to reassure citizens after it was announced that 13 people have died after receiving the seasonal flu vaccine. Professor of Medicine Kim Jung Kon, who is leading the investigation, said that based on the results of autopsies and analyses already conducted, there is currently no evidence to suggest a link between these deaths and the vaccine. However, public confidence in the vaccination program has been undermined. The Korean Medical Association has called for his suspension until all the circumstances of the incident are clarified and safety is ensured.
13 million people in South Korea have already received the flu vaccine this fall. According to the government’s free vaccination program, a total of 19 million vaccinations are planned. Authorities say that amid problems with Covid-19, they also want to avoid an outbreak of seasonal flu. The first was a 17-year-old boy who died two days after receiving the vaccine. The rest of the victims were elderly people with underlying health problems, eight of whom were over 70 years old. “I understand people’s concerns and regrets,” said South Korean Health Minister Park Neun-hoo, but he confirmed that the free vaccination program will continue. “Together with a number of other departments, we will once again carefully review the entire process, starting with the production of the vaccine,” he added.
The director of the Department of Disease Control and Prevention, Zhong Yu Quong, told parliament that the agency believes the likelihood of vaccine-related deaths is extremely low. The investigation continues. In particular, the results of coronavirus testing of deceased patients are awaited. Previously, the flu vaccine program was suspended for three weeks when it was discovered that approximately five million doses of the vaccine were stored at room temperature instead of in refrigerators. That batch was recalled and it was determined that none of the people who died had received such a vaccine.
Brazil plans to begin vaccination in January, Ireland is in lockdown, and the deputy prime minister of the Czech Republic has contracted the virus.